Hurricane Isabel closed in on the North Carolina coast with 105mph winds and the potential for up to a foot of rain, threatening to cause ruinous flooding across the region.

Isabel had weakened from a 160mph monster, but was still expected to be dangerous when it hit the islands of the state's Outer Banks today with a storm surge of up to 11ft.

More than 300,000 people in North Carolina and Virginia were urged to move to higher ground, leaving the vulnerable Outer Banks mostly evacuated.

Evacuation orders were also posted for low-lying inland areas and islands of the Chesapeake Bay, which could get a 7ft surge.

After days of warnings, anxiety over the advancing hurricane finally appeared to take hold, even among long-time Outer Banks residents who pride themselves on their ability to ride out big storms.

At 1am UK time, Isabel was about 280 miles south east of North Carolina's Cape Hatteras, moving north west at around 14 mph. It was expected to strengthen slightly as it approached the coast, and forecasters said its remnants could hit Quebec in Canada by Saturday.

A hurricane warning was in effect from Cape Fear in southern North Carolina to the Virginia-Maryland line. Tropical storm warnings extended from South Carolina to New Jersey.

In Washington, federal and district offices were ordered to be closed and Congress cancelled votes so that members could return home. Bus and subway services in the capital were suspended this morning as a precaution.